English Department
Whether you want to become a writer, teacher, or expert multi-media communicator, majoring in English at NMU will open many doors to your future — ones you may not have even considered yet. In literature classes, you will be challenged to consider matters of broad human significance. In creative writing, exposition, and journalism classes you will develop your talents for expressing ideas and emotions.
Mission Statement
The Department of English develops skills in critical thinking, reading, writing, teaching, and creative endeavor in relation to global and evolving literary, artistic, rhetorical, and linguistic traditions. Our undergraduate and graduate programs deepen students’ understanding of theory and practice in multiple English disciplines, preparing them for a range of professional careers, continued study, and engaged civic participation.
The Department of English welcomes comments and responses regarding this Mission Statement. Please contact us at english@nmu.edu.
Opportunity
Work on academic service learning projects, like creating and teaching a unit on Native American literature in a local grade school or writing book reviews to help troubled teens discover titles they’ll enjoy. Seek or provide assistance in our Writing Center available to all students. Who knows, you could win a large monetary prize in one of our five specialized writing contests. Whatever you do, you’ll end up as a better thinker, writer and speaker.
Career
Many employers prefer job candidates with an English degree because of their ability to analyze complex material and communicate clearly. The department boasts a 100 percent placement rate for English education graduates. Many of our other students go on to careers in publishing, technology, public relations, technical writing, advertising, law and government service, or continue on to graduate school.
Experience
Faculty members work closely with students, encouraging interaction and lively discussion in and outside of the classroom. Immersive learning abounds. You can attend visiting writer readings; work on the nationally-known Passages North literary journal, the student-published North Wind newspaper, or the online student writing journal, The Ore Ink Review; travel to and present at scholarly conferences; or intern in journalism, technical writing, and editing; train for and get experience in Teaching English.
Being at NMU gave me so many opportunities. I was able to get a summer research fellowship, intern with the Fresh Coast Film Festival, publish my own scholarly work, and meet so many incredible people. It is because of these reasons, among numerous others, that I cannot think of a day where I was not happy to be a Wildcat.
Eric Pitz
B.A. English '19